New Research on Notetaking Reveals Surprises… Maximize Social Media Presence for Recruiters… Job Interview No-Nos

The controversy over whether students should be allowed to use laptops to take notes has raged in the research for years. But the newest addition to this body of studies may alter the way instructors approach the conundrum.

How Much Mightier Is the Pen Than the Keyboard for Note-Taking? attempted to replicate well-known research that found students who took notes by hand performed better than those who took notes on a laptop. That 2014 study (Mueller and Oppenheimer) surmised that although students who took notes on their computers typed more words than the hand writers, they did so without much thought to what they wrote.

The new study could not replicate the original study’s findings and came to a startling conclusion–that both ways of taking notes were valid, depending on the situation. For example, if an instructor speaks fast, students fare better taking notes using their computers. However, in a course that uses figures and illustrations, students are better served taking notes by hand.

All researchers agreed on one point, however, and that was that computers are distracting.

A whopping 95% of recruiters use social media to fill positions. And while warnings about what notto post on social media have become commonplace, many job seekers are unaware of what they shoulddo to maximize their social media presence. Here’s what savvy job hunters should address so recruiters can both find and choose to connect with them.

Increase searchability. Using keywords in job titles and experience statements on a LinkedIn profile helps recruiters locate good fits for a position.

Dig deep networks. Recruiters are more likely to find candidates who have multiple second- and third-degree connections.

Demonstrate professionalism. An articulate and professional online presence is a big plus, especially to recruiters looking for a good cultural fit with an organization.

Conversational pitfalls to avoid during a job interview fall into a few basic categories.

Showing cluelessness. A level of inexperience and obliviousness can pretty much guarantee you won’t be asked back, so avoid:

asking what the company does

cursing

saying you want the interviewer’s job

indicating the job isn’t a first choice

not knowing which job you’re interviewing for

Getting personal. Inquiries about the interviewer’s marital status, whether a woman is pregnant or has children, or any type of flirting is considered in poor taste and in some cases, illegal, so just don’t do it.